Is there anything more important or more complex than wedding catering? Not only do you need to create a memorable and exciting spread, but you also need to balance your budget along with determining how many guests will be involved. Taking the planning step-by-step is the only way to make sure that your guests get fed while your sanity remains intact.

Start With the Pre-Planning

Before you begin looking into the numbers, you should have a rough idea of how you want your wedding to be catered. How many guests are you interested in serving? What kind of meals do you envision? Are you going to be having a lunch wedding or a dinner wedding? Are you going to have appetisers and canapes? What about the drinks and drink service?

Most people only have a general idea of what they want before they contract with a caterer. It's after they discuss their goals with their caterer that they can narrow down what they really want.

Connect With a Caterer

It's important to talk to a caterer as early as possible, as if you don't talk to a caterer you won't know what's available or feasible in your area. Your caterer knows everything about per head pricing, seasonal ingredients, and the best ways to make your ideas come true. Further, many caterers prefer to work with specific venues, or need to be booked well in advance; connecting with them early on is the best way to make sure you get everything you need.

Give Your Caterer Some Examples

One of the best ways to get exactly what you want from a caterer is to give them examples of what you want. You can send them images of food that you find particularly appealing, a list of your favourite ingredients, or examples from local restaurants that you really enjoy. When it comes to desserts like cakes, sometimes it can be helpful to bring an example of something that you loved, and let the caterer know about any changes to your example that you would enjoy.

Finalise Your Guest List

Your caterer is going to need to have a very exact guest list to be able to complete the catering. And that means that you're going to need to finalise your guest list before you can be aware of the full budget. Finalise your guest list as early as possible with a little bit of wiggle room, with the idea that there may be some changes that come closer to the date.

Get Back the RSVPs

Your wedding RSVPs should have given you information about dietary restrictions, in addition to which meals your guests are most interested in. This information will need to be forwarded to your caterer. Often, when sending RSVPs, the choice of a couple of proteins and a vegetarian meal are often offered: as an example, a chicken, beef, or salad plate. This tells the caterer exactly what they are going to need to prepare and for whom.

Decide on the Final Menu

Once you get your RSVPs back, you should know which entrees are going to be served for lunch or dinner. However, you're still going to need to work towards figuring out things such as canapes. Your caterer will be able to produce a full menu for you at this time, and you can work with your caterer to determine what you are most happy with.

Usually, your caterer is going to give you examples of different types of food that they might prepare, and you'll be able to select the ones that taste best to you. These may be based on the season, the general theme of your wedding, and your own personal tastes.

Finalise Everything as Early as Possible

Nothing related to catering should be left to the last minute, as it requires a lot of preplanning. Changing an appetiser just before an event may seem easy enough, but in fact it could change everything, from introducing scheduling issues to altering the total cost of your catered event.

Once you know which food items you want prepared, you should finalise everything with the caterer. From there, they can begin doing things such as scheduling their labour, planning how the food will be cooked, and making purchases in advance.

Organising wedding catering may feel overwhelming, but there's a lot that the caterer can take care of for you. Contacting a catering as early as possible is the best way to make sure everything goes off without a hitch. To get started with your planning now, contact Laissez-faire.

As you begin the process of planning your wedding, you have quite a few things to consider with catering options in Sydney. It can be a bit overwhelming, but Laissez-faire Catering is here to support you in this journey. We've been doing this for over 20 years, and know how to cater a wedding without any hangups. We also know that times are changing regarding what people expect at their wedding reception. How you cater your wedding is a personal statement. Laissez-faire can help you create a wedding that does not seem over-indulgent or too expensive all while keeping your event current with the season and sustainable.

In fact, Laissez-faire has their own seal of approval called Foodified™. When you see our Foodified™ Seal of Approval, you can expect fresh, local and seasonal food. At Laissez-faire, we believe that fresh, local, and seasonal food should also be affordable.

Can Your Wedding Budget Support a Farm to Table Theme?

We believe that the answer is, "Of course!" Don't let a wedding caterer ever tell you that you are going to go over your budget if you want a sustainable and seasonal wedding. It's a fallacy that this should cost you more when you have chosen a menu that includes local and seasonal fruits, vegetables, meat and cheeses. These things don't have to be synonymous with expensive. By catering your wedding menu to what is available locally and seasonally, you should have a more affordable wedding budget.

Laissez-faire has found that working with our Foodified™ system, you actually save money on ingredients. Sydney has a wide array of fruits that grow in our climate. If you are having a winter wedding, we would help you choose ingredients that are available locally in Sydney.

For example, winter in Sydney means that you will find citrus fruits widely available maybe even some pears and persimmons. We would choose to work with these items instead of something like apricots, peaches, or melons which tend to be summer fruits. If you have something like apricots on your menu during a winter wedding, they will need to be imported from another region. This makes your menu both more expensive and not sustainable or farm to table. We have found that by going with fresh local ingredients, we are also able to create an ambient menu that naturally compliments the time of the year and the wedding that you have planned at an affordable price.

Sustainable Food Service Means Affordable Food Service

Your caterer should be able to tailor a seasonal wedding menu using local and fresh ingredients and save you money because you aren't trying to buy fruits and other ingredients that are out of season. Wedding trends in Sydney no longer point to over-indulgent and too expensive. We find that more of a minimalist approach is what is popular in today's weddings. Using our locally grown fruits and vegetables, we can create various food stations at your reception that bring simple elegance to your wedding and also make your colors pop even more. Bonus: your wedding pictures will be gorgeous!

Farm to table catering brings to mind rustic and artisan decor. Picture stained wood tables and chairs with lots of plants and flowers at every table. Tie these elements together with a pop up bar and rustic lighting. You have now created a very beautiful yet simple aesthetic that won't easily be forgotten. Your wedding guests will love seeing the local faire at your wedding. Expect to have very many instagrammable moments in addition to any planned photography that you may have.

Contact Experts in Farm to Table Wedding Catering

At Laissez-faire, we have worked on creating sustainable and local menus for decades. We can provide several examples of menus that we have done in the past. From there, you can customize your wedding menu to your needs. We have also serviced some of the most memorable venues in Sydney for wedding receptions and can help you plan for an event at one of these spaces. If you have something else in mind, we will be able to provide a menu and ambiance that matches your chosen location. We have over 20 years of experience in making wedding packages customized to fit your needs.

Click the banner below to enter your details and get instant access to our Wedding packages:

To learn more about us, please contact us here or give us a call at (02) 9209 4810.

Everyone wants to be remembered for their stellar wedding reception and at Laissez-faire Catering, we agree - and then we set the bar higher than that. The small details really are what makes a wedding reception go from average to extraordinary. With over 20 years providing catering services in Sydney, we know what the current trends are that will make your event stand out and keep your wedding remembered in a timeless manner. Keep reading to find out what we have identified as the key five factors that make a modern wedding reception be remembered for all time.

Multiple Food Stations at Your Reception

Food stations add a whole new element to a wedding reception. The guests don't have to wait to be served at a table. They feel encouraged to get up and move around. You can also avoid the long wait in a line of one station that is basically a buffet style of serving. Food stations offer several visual points throughout the reception area and plenty of opportunity for your guests to mingle with each other. Not to mention that an elegant food station can be the key to starting off a great conversation among the guests.

Food stations offer your guests plenty of options to snack on whatever they feel like, as well as luscious visuals that really make the wedding reception pop with beautiful colors, flavors, and scents. Your guests will feel more like moving around instead of staying seated in one spot all night.

Our chef's team will make sure that your food choices are not only delicious but also look like works of art. Each food station is carefully thought out with everything from the best farm to table options to a beautiful display of seasonal foods to set the mood. Here are a few examples of food stations that we've done in the past.

Cognac and Chocolate

Cheese, Meat and Seasonal Fruit

Carving station of your choice of meats accompanied with Southern sides like a smoky pimento cheese

Crudites bars

Charcuteries

There is no limit to our imagination and we are happy to help you create the ideal food stations for your wedding theme. The food station itself can offer some of the most beautiful centerpieces and points of conversation. Your wedding reception can be a place where family and friends make lifetime friendships just by adding a few different food stations!

Click the image below to download information about our Wedding packages (and access all of our other menus!):

Popup Bar

Depending on your theme, this could include a full bar or a simple tea and coffee station. What we really like about the pop up bar station is that it allows you to present your ambiance and theme in a unique way. By adding lighting, plants and simple decor themes, you can tie the whole reception together with your theme at a pop up bar.

Reinvent the Canape Table

A canape table reinvented with garnishes from our talented garde mangers will give you an opportunity to highlight your wine or champagne offering with seasonal fruits and veggies. The really wonderful thing about sticking to seasonal fruits and veggies is not just the ambiance, but it helps you with your wedding budget, too. Technically, this would be another great option for a food station, but it also allows you to gracefully show off new culinary delights in traditional way.

By taking the time to put a little extra flair and drama into things like food stations, pop up bars, and canape tables, you create several focal points that are great opportunities for photos of the wedding guests. You can tie your color themes into the whole area. Your guests will feel like they are all an important part to the wedding party when the decor ties the entire room together with several visual points for them to mingle or be drawn together.

Audio Visual Gear

Audio visual gear is one of the most commonly overlooked elements by the wedding guests, but when you don't have it, everyone will notice. Do you plan on having videos playing, music, people making speeches? You'll need lighting and gear to make sure everyone can hear or see your speaker or videos. Most venues will have this available to your wedding reception, but it is important to make sure that you plan on it. No one wants to have a speech being talked over because some of the wedding guests didn't hear that the speech or the video start playing.

Contact Us for Your Sydney Wedding

Browse our website to see some of the beautiful venues that we service and learn more about our unique approach to your wedding. You can call us at (02) 9209 4810 or contact us on our website.

After the proposal and engagement party is done, taking the first steps to planning your wedding can be daunting. The world of weddings seems full of endless possibilities. You have so many ideas for your wedding reception in a beautiful forest, or maybe you’ll have an extraordinary disco, a big white wedding in a giant hall, or a princess wedding with ball gowns and tuxedos. If you’re thinking of adventure, you may wear your wedding jumpsuits and after saying your “I do's”, jump off a plane and parachute to the ground!

These ideas may sound fun and truly unforgettable, but then, you sit down with your bride or groom to be and actually start planning your wedding. All the endless wedding possibilities becomes an endless circle of decision making. Where do you start? How can you afford your wedding? How many guests will you have? What about the food and drinks?

There are many checklists that you can print out to keep up with your wedding preparations. To get you started thinking about the different aspects that make up a wedding, we’ve included the most basic and the most important things that you need to prepare for the big day. Let’s begin.

Set A Budget for Catering, Venue, Decor, Photographers

Setting a budget will get everything rolling. You need to allot your budget for dresses/suits, wedding theme decorations, the wedding and reception venues, food and drinks, flowers, wedding photographers and videographers, entertainment and the audio visual setup.

Make Your Guest List

This is one of the first wedding logistics you should think about after setting the budget. When you know how much money you have to spend, you’ll know roughly how many people you can accommodate for. This may change so don’t make any promises to work acquaintances or distant 3rd cousins who want a wedding invite.

The number of guests will also depend on the season your wedding date falls into and how far guests will have to travel to the wedding venue or reception venue. Once you have a rough number this will give you an idea of how much food and drink needs to be prepared and possible venues that are suitable.

Choosing The Wedding Reception Style - Your Sydney Catering Options

Whether you’re thinking of an elegant or traditional wedding or a small and intimate gathering with your family and friends, there will be a style that fits your taste. Here are some examples our staff have seen first hand:

#1 Plated Dinner

This is a sit-down dinner, which is considered the most traditional and most formal since each guest is individually served a plated meal. Usually three courses are served; the entrée, main and dessert. The caterer will usually give guests a choice of two entrees which are selected beforehand or guests can swap with each other to get the meal they will most enjoy.

With this style, every guest will get their food at the same time and the caterer will know how much food will need to be purchased since the menu is pre-selected. Catering this way can mean that costs are lower as compared to a buffet or family-style meal.

#2 Buffet

Food buffets are usually set up on long tables and guests can walk along and serve themselves. Servers can also be stationed behind the buffet table to serve the guests. This style is considered one of the most casual styles of meal service, but it’s also efficient.

This style requires fewer servers, thus you may save money on catering staff charges. Buffets are also a cost effective way of providing guests with a variety of food choices and promotes interaction among guests.

#3 Food Stations

This is similar to a buffet but the food is usually spread out across the venue at different stations. One area may be a carving station for meats, one for desserts, a sushi bar, a tapas station and a beverage station. Portions are served in a food station style, meaning they are on the smaller side which usually takes just about three bites to finish.

Just like a buffet, your guests will be pleased with the wide variety of food and drinks being served. Guest won’t have to wait in line since every station is spread all over the reception and people have different tastes. This also promotes a lot of interaction and mingling among the guests.

#4 Family Style Service

Just like a sit down dinner, guests are assigned specific dinner tables and the servers bring large portions of food to the dinner table on serving platters where guests can fill their own plates, just like they would at home.

#5 Cocktail Style

This style features hors d’oeuvres and other bite size offerings served all evening in contrast to a sit down meal. The hors d’oeuvres are usually one or two bite sized portions and can be a combination of hot and cold food options. The bite-sized foods can be served by waiters or they can be at stations for guests to get themselves. This is a good choice for a more casual atmosphere and gives the most opportunity for guests to mingle, meet and talk to each other.

Planning the Drinks

Choosing the drinks can also be a daunting task, but you don’t have to worry. Below are some examples of drinks that you can have on your wedding day.

#1 Bubbly

Good ol’ bubbly as a celebratory drink never gets old. You can have a little before your wedding to calm your nerves and celebrate the union by popping up another bottle. Bubblies vary in flavor, so if you can, do some tastings before you decide what bottle to get. Champagne can cost you $12 for a decent bottle and about $60-$250 for the best and top of the line champagnes.

#2 Wines

When choosing wines for your wedding, consider the time of the year and the wedding location. Summer weddings and lunches are best suited for whites, lighter-style reds and rose like pinot noir or cabernet franc. Winter weddings on the other hand are suited for robust merlots and bordeaux. The menu will also play a part in choosing your wine. Your chosen caterer will help you with pairing a great wine.

#3 Beer and Non-alcoholic Drinks

Serving good beer is an easy option and can be great for rain, hail or shine. Also since, you’re a responsible host, there should be also plenty of non-alcoholic drinks like juice, non-alcoholic cocktails, punch, sparkling mineral water and sodas.

Incorporate an Audio-visual System

The size and equipment will depend on how big the venue is. Hotels and other large venues provide their own AV system which is usually included in the package whenever you rent one of their ballroom or event spaces. If not, consider hiring only the essentials. Maybe you want some lights to hit the dancefloor?

Find Wedding Entertainment

You can hire a DJ or a band to provide entertainment for your wedding party. Most live performers will bring their own equipment to the venue. But mostly all the other PA systems like speakers and microphones will be provided by the venue or you can also hire a 3rd party sound system company if the equipment provided by the venue is not adequate.

As always, it’s best to prepare early so that all the details can be ironed out before the event and everything will go according to plan. Good luck.

What do people think about when they think of a wedding? First, there's the happy couple and, of course, the flowers, the dresses and the suits. But after that is always the food. If you want your wedding to leave an impression that lasts years to come, you need to provide the best food. Fresh, seasonal produce -- the best in fruits and vegetables -- are an excellent way to make an event memorable. Fresh produce simply looks better and tastes better, giving you something to remember.

Creating the Best Wedding Meals

Trying to come up with unique wedding menu ideas? Starting with seasonal produce is a great option. You don't want to craft a menu around produce that's difficult to source; you'll find yourself with wilted vegetables or bruised fruits.

The best wedding meals have creative, inventive pairings, which often revolve around fresh vegetables and fruits that are unique to the area and the season. In Sydney, there are a variety of different fruits and vegetables available throughout the year.

Often, you will want your catering menu to have a specific theme, or to be filled with items that you and your soon-to-be spouse love. But that can be difficult, especially if you aren't a chef or a "foodie." A good catering company can help you with suggestions that are intended to celebrate your union, your family, and your friends.

Of course, first you need to know what's available to you -- and that means looking at the fruits and vegetables that are in season.

Spring: Fresh and Bright

Spring brings with it citrus and berries. Lemons, mandarin oranges, and oranges can be used in refreshing drinks, salads, appetisers, and entrees. Cherries, nectarines, peaches, plums, and strawberries can also be used throughout desserts and for sorbets.

In terms of vegetables, spring will see artichokes, fresh beans, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, cucumbers, leeks, potatoes, silverbeets, spinach, squash, tomatoes, and zucchini. There are also an assortment of Asian vegetables available, depending on the types of cuisine you desire.

Summer: Cool and Refreshing

Want to beat the summer heat? Apricots, berries, melons, nectarines, plums, and strawberries are all going to be in season. Whether you're crafting the perfect strawberry shortcake or adding melon balls to your appetisers, you'll want to focus on chilly, refreshing foods.

Summer will bring with it different types of beans, beetroot, chilies, eggplant, okra, pumpkins, and sweetcorn. Eggplant, in particular, is a versatile vegetable that can be used in everything from Asian cuisine to Italian cuisine.

Autumn: Warm and Comforting

Apples are in season as of Autumn, one of the most versatile fruits available for everything from small pies to entrees. Berries, kiwifruit, pears, persimmons, and strawberries are also available, for fruit mixes and drinks.

In Autumn, fresh broccoli, Chinese cabbage, pecans, and white turnips will become available, in addition to many of the summer vegetables. Fresh pecans are especially alluring in salads and desserts, while fresh broccoli and cabbage can be used in sides and entrees.

Winter: Savory and Sweet

Winter months can make sourcing fresh produce a little more challenging. Lemons, mandarins, and oranges are going to be your best bet. In the winter, you want something that's going to be warming and comforting. Lemons, mandarins, and oranges can all be used in mulled cider and wine recipes.

In Winter, Lebanese cucumbers, leeks, potatoes, silverbeets, and spinach will become available again. Leeks, potatoes, and spinach can be used in a variety of savory winter recipes, such as winter soups. Squash and other similar vegetables can be used to create an interesting winter mix.

Getting the Freshest Ingredients

It isn't just the fruits and vegetables that need to be fresh. A good catering company will also be able to source everything from the highest quality meats to the best cheese. It's imperative that your food taste and look great -- and you often need to offer a variety to your guests to satisfy everyone.

Wedding catering services have to be able to develop relationships with local distributors, not only to find the best in local meats, cheeses, wines, and produce, but also to get the most reasonable prices.

Every time you see the Foodified™ stamp, you know it’s Laissez-faire’s fresh, local and seasonal produce, and it’s a result of a leading Gold license caterer with above industry standards in quality assurance and sustainability policies.

We work with premium and local seafood and beef suppliers, artisan cheese producers and quality local fruit and vegetable growers to develop inspiring, seasonal driven menus that will bring the best produce to your table.

Protecting and enhancing the environments where our business operates, innovating with waste management techniques, working in collaboration with suppliers, venues, and clients to positively impact our local community and reducing our footprint by raising awareness are the fundamental principles of our Foodified™ philosophy.

When planning a wedding you want to make the event as memorable as possible, and this is why it is so important to take advantage of today's latest wedding catering trends. After all, no one forgets a fantastic meal! Let's take a quick look at a few of them.

Interactive Culinary Kiosks

While it might seem traditional to provide guests with already prepared food items, the truth is, letting your guests get interactive with the foods they enjoy at a wedding is a great way to make the event more memorable. With interactive culinary kiosks, guests can easily customise their cocktails and meals. While they are enjoying a nice, slow dance on the dance floor, the chefs and bartenders can be creating their specific culinary requests. One type of food that you will definitely want them to customise is canapes. Check out our extensive canapes menu here.

Provide Healthy Options

There is nothing better than providing wedding guests with a meal that is not only hearty but healthy too. By using organic ingredients, it becomes possible to create food items that are good for the heart and good for the soul. With this in mind, it's always a good idea to offer at least one or two green courses on the wedding menu, such as a fresh salad or organic string green beans. And don't let the healthy eating stop with food. Did you know many types of alcoholic beverages can be created with organic ingredients? With this in mind, you'll want to ask your catering company about the various organic beverage options they provide.

Get Bold with Colours

When picking out wedding linens and flowers, you are definitely going to want to consider your food options. Yes, your food will need to coordinate with your wedding decor. Today's top wedding catering companies have started infusing various colors into different food items, easily allowing food menus to complement wedding decor. To keep things simple, however, you can always go with a black and white wedding and take advantage of ice cream sandwiches on the dessert menu. As far as your cake goes, consider white buttercream icing on top of rich chocolate cake slices.

Don't Get Greedy with Beverages

If you're going to serve alcohol, make sure you serve a plentiful buffet of choices. From wines and cocktails to hard liqueurs, you'll want to include everything from California wine to schnapps and more. On your beverage bar buffet, make sure to provide bowls of fruit that can be used to top off the beverages. Some of the best fruits to offer include diced pear pieces, white grapes and a variety of berries. Check out our vast menu of beverage options here.

The Takeaway

There are a variety of wedding packages to choose from, so it is extremely important that you consider your different options. Check out our wedding package options here. Also, make sure to ask your caterer about the different wedding catering trends that are becoming more popular in 2018; you'll want to incorporate these trends into your wedding to make an event that leaves the happy couple and guests with memories to last a lifetime.

There are many details that a wedding guest will remember weeks after the reception, but there is something they will never ever forget: how good (or bad) the meal was. That’s why it makes sense to put enough time and plenty of planning into the food, drinks and the right caterer for your reception.

But before you start planning your wedding catering, you need to decide on your wedding theme and venue. After you have decided on those two, talk to your fiancé about your wedding reception. No matter what style you choose, both of you have to make sure that you understand all the catering options available before making your final decision.

Booking a caterer for your wedding should be straight forward and exciting at the same time. At the start, expect an informal and no pressure talk from the caterers that you‘ll be meeting with. They will get an idea of who you are, what you like and dislike. It can be over the phone or a face to face meeting. A proposal will be created with the menus and the cost for your initial consultation if it applies.

Choosing The Reception Style

Wedding receptions are usually offered in different styles. Whether you’re thinking of an elegant or traditional wedding or a small and intimate gathering with your family and friends, there will be a style that will surely fit your taste. Below are some examples:

A Sit-down Dinner

This is the most traditional style and has groups of around 10 guests seated at a table assigned to them and with each guest being served three courses or more. If you want an elegant and traditional wedding this is the one for you. For this, you have to consider your venue and budget, since a plated dinner needs more staff to prepare, plate and serve the dish. The good thing is that this style will give guests more time to mingle and it also allows guests to dress up fancy! This style of reception is more suited for an all adults-only guest list.

A Standing-Style Party

Similar to a buffet-style serving, but there are no seats available. If you have 500 guests or more, this is for you. Some advantages of this include a livelier feel because guests can go around looking for different dishes and can mingle with friends while eating. Cocktails, beers and other types of alcoholic drinks will make this style even livelier. A BBQ style fare is best for this style. You can serve:

Main Courses:

Barbecue beef brisket

Pork spareribs

Smoked sausages

Barbecue chicken

Sides:

Barbecue beans

Coleslaw

Potato salad

Tossed green salad

Toasted garlic bread

Cornbread

Corn on the cob

Casual Dining

If you want the most relaxed atmosphere for your wedding, go for the casual dining experience. It’s a non-formal wedding reception where your guests can enjoy and mingle casually without following any specific arrangements. This is suited for an intimate wedding with the closest friends and families. It can be held in a garden, park or backyard. 50 guests will suit this setup, but make sure that there’s still enough space for everyone. There’s also a large chance that everyone knows each other, thus it will be more fun and relaxing at the same time. You can go for:

Onion, Feta, and sun-dried tomato tartlet

Dumplings served with dipping sauces

Grilled coriander, giant prawns with a chili-lime sauce

Rosemary-roasted baby lamb chops with apricot-mint salsa

Bite-size chicken fajitas with avocado salsa

Mini lobster rolls on toasted brioche

Sauteed soft shell crabs with a spicy rémoulade

Chicken satays with a tangy peanut sauce

Miso-glazed cod with Asian pesto

Dim sum: crystal shrimp, sweet rice, spinach, and shiitake mushroom

Buffet Style

If you want to provide a better variety of food and drinks, then a buffet style is for you. This is suitable for large parties with 100 and above guests. Plus the guest will not feel forced to eat something they don’t like because they will be able to make their own decisions. The service cost is lower and you only need a few wait staff. You can play with these selections below:

Deciding On The Wedding Menu

Now that you have already decided on what type of reception for your wedding, it’s time to decide on your wedding menu. Below are some simple steps to help you decide what food and drinks to serve.

Know The Season

Take note of the season because certain types of food taste better when in season. Thick soup and stews are not a good fit for summer weddings. Fruits will taste sweeter when in season thus some desserts will be 10x better if the fruits are in season.

Check For Recommendations

You can check for recommendations from your friends or family members. Also find professional chefs online, send them an email or chat and ask for their recommendations. Still, don’t take advice blindly without considering your situation and tastes.

Choose Your Favorite Dish

Are you into Indian food, Thai, Italian, Japanese, Filipino or Mexican food? Basically there are no rules in serving the type of food for your wedding, but you also have to consider the less adventurous eaters.

Special Diet Menu

You can have a dedicated stall for people with specific diets that can include gluten-free options, vegetarian meals and child-friendly meals.

The menus presented above are just examples of food varieties that can be served for each style. Again, nothing is final until you’ve decided what kind of reception you want to have, what food you want to serve and what is in season. Your chosen caterer will be able to help decide all of this.

To see a sample wedding package from the experts at Laissez-faire Catering click here:

So you’ve just become engaged and you’re wondering when you should have your wedding. Part of you would like to have a summer wedding, on a beautiful warm day with a very lovely evening that everybody can enjoy. On the other hand, winter might be the ideal time to get married. Venues might be easier to book around this time, and there’s always the option of planning a proper white wedding overseas, with a beautiful church in the snow, candle lights and the festive atmosphere.

Venue

Weather aside, the first thing you need to consider if you want to get married during summer or winter is the venue. A number of venues make themselves available at different times of the year.

Say for example, if you were able to get a fabulous outdoor area that you want to fill with marquees, then plan on getting married during the warmer months. On the other hand, if you want your wedding to be more intimate and have a cosy feeling, a winter wedding can work to your advantage.

Budget

Other important things that you need to consider are your budget and the venue’s availability. A large percentage of couples tend to marry during summer as compared to winter, thus more popular venues tend to be booked well in advance, specifically on weekends. Also wedding suppliers such as photographers, florists, caterers, and chauffeurs are likely to be very busy.

If you schedule your wedding on a less popular day of the week, say Wednesday or Thursday, there’s a high chance that you will get the venue and wedding suppliers of your choice. Keep in mind there can be waiting lists for venues, wedding dresses and decorators during the more popular months so it’s never too early to start planning.

Winter Wedding

One good thing about a winter wedding is that more people will actually attend the event because they are less likely to book holidays during winter. Plus, most people tend to enjoy a good family get together at this time of the year.

As mentioned earlier, finding venues and suppliers will be easier if you’re looking to book for winter. This might mean your wedding will be kind to your budget and your stress levels! Your dream venue will likely be more available and they may give a special rate which is always good. Your out-of-town friends may also find plenty of accommodation with special rates.

Winter weddings can still be creative. Dress your bridesmaids with brightly-coloured pashminas or scarves. Decorate the venue using tea lights and twinkling candles, serve hot chocolate or warm/hot mulled wine at the reception together with some spicy canape sausages, mince pies, warm soups and hearty stews.

Your winter wedding will not be forgotten any time soon, because everyone enjoys something different once in a while. It will be more intimate with a cozy and warm atmosphere.

Winter Wedding Menu Ideas

With a winter wedding, you can provide a cozy atmosphere for your reception with a warm and hearty meal using seasonal flavors with classic winter cocktails and treats.

For appetisers and main dishes, a soup course will not be out of place. Soup shooters served during cocktail hour is a good starter, comfort foods like mini grilled cheese sandwiches, butternut squash ravioli, tiny spaghetti and meatballs hors d’oeuvres and a hearty meal of meat and potatoes with gravy as your main dish.

Drinks can be a spiked hot chocolate bar for the adults. You can set up toppings like whipped cream, nuts, small candies and marshmallows. You can also go for signature warm cocktails like mulled wine and some good old bottles of scotch.

For desserts, pies and tarts work well for winter weddings, if your place has no snow and is close to the beach or a fireplace, create a s’mores bar. You can also have pudding, lemon curd crème brulee with hazelnut flapjacks, coffee, petits fours, Boozy marzipan balls, chocolate macaroons. A fruit bar will also be a good fit for the setting.

Summer Weddings

Obviously, the weather is usually much nicer in summer. Summer just gives people a happier and more energised vibe. Think about having a mid-afternoon wedding and then dance throughout the evening with your guests at the reception.

You’ll need to book early for everything if you’re planning for a summer wedding…. the venue, the wardrobe, photographers, catering and florist.

Summer Wedding Menu Ideas

Summer weddings are fun and you can start off with plenty of refreshing drinks. Nonalcoholic lemonade or iced tea bars are popular, offering different flavours and colours. Sangria is an easy and refreshing option for alcohol. For cocktails it can be hibiscus iced tea with raspberry liqueur and citron vodka or cucumber-mint lemonade.

For entrees, barbecues are an easy to manage option that everyone will enjoy. Make sure you have some grilled vegetarian options. A whole pig roast is a great summer wedding main, but if you prefer a lighter meal, you can always go for chicken and fish. Still, grilled carved meats will never go out of style during summer weddings.

Desserts can be a mini-scoop trio of sorbet flavours that mimic the colors or decorations of your wedding. With so many flavors to choose from - melon, lime, raspberry, mango, and more - you're sure to find something yummy that suits your style. Fruit platters served with chilled sparkling wine are also a welcome treat after having some barbecue with friends and family. Or for the ultimate dessert, check out this donut wall!

How To Choose The Perfect Wedding Menu

Serving the right menu is one of the most essential aspects of making your wedding day flow smoothly. If you’re throwing a rustic backyard do, a plated dinner might be too formal. On the other hand, if your reception is in a grand ballroom, buffets or sit-down courses are definitely appropriate. Below are some tips to make sure you’ll have the perfect menu for your wedding day.

Establish a budget

The number of guests, the serving style, the appetisers and the cocktails; every decision will impact cost, thus you need to establish a budget early on and make sure you stick to it. This will help you keep on track of everything.

Plan and start early

A superb menu always starts with the caterer, but to get your first pick, you’ll have to book early. Some industry experts suggest booking catering and venues around 12 months before the event. Keep in mind, some venues will require you to use their in-house caterer or they will have a short list of wedding professionals that they work with exclusively.

If you have the opportunity to choose your own caterer, look for a chef that is flexible and excited about trying new dishes and food ideas.

Know your numbers

Know how many guests will be attending and ensure your maximum budget can handle this amount. This will help you determine your menu. If you want to have an impressive spread, consider limiting your guest list. If you want everybody to be there, just cut costs in creative ways that will still provide an enjoyable and delicious spread for everyone.

Understand dietary restrictions

Vegans, people with peanut allergies or guest who prefer a gluten-free diet should be considered. Talk with your chosen caterer about these challenges in advance to prevent any delays when plating entrees and main meals.

Think of a style or theme

The couple’s personality should drive the theme of any wedding. Some weddings will have very traditional of formal themes, while others may be more casual. Your themes can be expressed through the attire of the wedding party, the décor, floral arrangements, the ceremony itself, the venue, the season and the type of food served at the reception.

Go for local and seasonal

Great chefs and cooks plan their menus around whatever is fresh that month or season. Ask your caterer what ingredients will be in season on the day of your wedding and request to have your menu made around those ingredients. Find the freshest options by choosing locally grown produce. Also make sure your caterer is familiar with the foods they are preparing. There is no worse way to make your menu memorable than getting your guests sick from badly prepared food.

Cover all bases with your spread by having beef, poultry, seafood and vegetables. Make sure you have something slightly salty, sweet and something savoury to cater to all types of palettes.

The caterer should also care for good presentation

Choose a caterer who cares as much about presentation as they do about good tasting food. First impressions will help make the day memorable. You can also add small touches of your own like a special signature cocktail, a special dessert or napkins in your wedding theme colours.

Do not skimp on the portions

Make sure that you have enough food for everyone. Even if you’re having a buffet, your caterer will still need an approximate head count.

These are some of the things that you need to remember when choosing your wedding menu.

Take a look at Laissez-faire's own 2017 wedding packages to see the delicious menus we can offer you on your wedding day. Just click the image below:

Casual Wedding Catering

Weddings may stay the same, but catering trends are always changing. Shared banquets and platters are becoming more popular at our events compared to serving one or two main dishes to guests at their tables. This casual dinner trend is also perfect for corporate events.

Sharing Plates and Platters

Large sharing plates and platters have been the trend lately. Especially at a wedding reception, the hosts want to make the night a celebration of food as well as a marriage.

Sharing big platters provides guests a gastronomic experience - it allows them to taste a range of food choices in small amounts rather than the usual two-dish servings. This way, everyone can cater to their own tastes and try some new things!

For weddings, the idea of sharing platters may benefit you in the following ways: It makes your function feel relaxed. Menus can provide a great conversation starter. It gives you time to really enjoy the food with family and friends. Guests can remain seated the entire meal, perfect for a venue that does not hold extra space.

Aside from the value of the event itself, the food choices and food presentation matter. The secret lies in choosing and designing a platter with the right food and right flavour that will work well for your event.

What to include:

Add protein items but spice up with adventurous dipping sauces.

Try themed platters.

Include hand-held and easy to eat appetizers.

Include options for those who are vegetarians or have a gluten free diet.

Aside from this, you can ask your caterer for the best possible shared platter menus that can be served for the event you have in mind.

Grazing Stations

Moving on, the next trend in casual dinners is grazing stations. Grazing stations are usually set up in a room where guests are convening before the proper dinner begins. What is usually served is a variety of snacks, nibbles and drinks.

One can opt to include light bites from breads, dips, cheeses to deli meats. Grazing stations can balance cuisines that represents the culture of the wedding families or an organisation. This is a hit at any event since it mirrors the wonderful diversity of Sydney.

Prior to the main event, grazing stations can provide an engaging way for guests to start the party. It can also help entertain guests in case some delays are happening. Plus grazing stations are flexible. You can include a few of your choices as well as incorporate recommendations from your caterer.

Now, the point of events is not only to provide the best food there is. The social side of gatherings is now put into focus. So make sure that you provide the best food and provide the best experience for your guests too.

Hot Locations

We know that you're all looking for the next big thing, the newest venue, the hottest place to socialise and communicate your brand message in our urban jungle, our beautiful Sydney. Well we’re happy to make a new introduction; The Venue should be on your radar. It's hip, it's big, it's new and it’s a hop, skip and a jump from the CBD.

We also thought you would appreciate an update and refresh of the Chinese Gardens. Now that the ICC SYDNEY has opened and construction down this end of town is done and dusted (well for the next 5 minutes at least) we wanted to ensure this private garden paradise is back in your event destination thought process.

THE VENUE

Alexandria NSW 2015

Sydney's Newest Premium Warehouse Event Space

Located conveniently between Sydney’s International Airport and the CBD, we offer clients a large, flexible warehouse space with 5 star amenities catering to a wide variety of events including gala dinners, product launches, fashion parades, conferences, corporate functions, weddings and community events.

With a capacity of 1,000 guests for a dinner, cocktail style or conferencing, flexibility is the key to our space. We will offer a unique opportunity to dress the interior to create your own event with the industrial warehouse look.

CHINESE GARDENS

Darling Harbour NSW 2000

Nestled in the heart of Darling Harbour, the Chinese Garden of Friendship offers a slice of traditional China in the heart of Sydney. Modelled after the lavish private gardens of the Ming Dynasty, which ruled China from the 14th to the 17th century, the Chinese Gardens where built to celebrate the friendship between Australia and China. Renowned as one of the best Chinese gardens in the world outside of China they have become a popular destination for weddings and celebrations.

The landscape of the gardens is stunning. The garden was designed with traditional Taoist beliefs that stress the importance of infusing Qi, the essential force of life and energy into the garden. In order to achieve Qi, every plant is hand-picked and the landscape is intricately designed to reflect aspects of nature and harmony.

Guests can wonder the hidden stone paths and explore waterfalls, lakes and Chinese flora. Scattered throughout are garden pagodas and a large teahouse providing a truly unique and unforgettable event destination. As one of Laissez-faire Catering's favourite venues, the Chinese Gardens provide the ultimate backdrop for a wide range of events.

Wedding Food Trends in 2017, as Predicted by the Experts (us!)

Food is always a big part of any wedding, and this is what our brides want:

1. Seasonal Food

Seasonal food, served family-style. As we all know, people are much more conscious about what they’re eating these days, so serving a good range of food (seasonal sides, salads, meats, crispy potatoes…) on big platters allow people to customise what ends up on their plate. It’s also a very social way to share and enjoy food.

2. Farm-to-table

Farm-to-table isn’t just the biggest trend in restaurants right now; it’s also the hottest thing in weddings. Nowadays, brides aren’t just asking for organic greens – they are asking for the exact farm that their greens came from. We are working with local farms to create the best menu and experience for the new-age bride.

3. Fancy Comfort Foods

Who doesn’t love a delicious burger or some French fries? It doesn’t mean that you have to risk your wedding becoming more of a party than an elegant affair. Couples are loving comfort foods that are presented in innovative and elegant ways.

4. Bread and Butter

A selection of breads and flavored butters. We all love homemade butter and fresh-from-the-oven loaves of bread. This adds a special touch to any event.

How To Choose The Perfect Wedding Menu

Serving the right menu is one of the most essential aspects of making your wedding day flow smoothly. If you’re throwing a rustic backyard do, a plated dinner might be too formal. On the other hand, if your reception is in a grand ballroom, buffets or sit-down courses are definitely appropriate. Below are some tips to make sure you’ll have the perfect menu for your wedding day.

Establish a budget

The number of guests, the serving style, the appetisers and the cocktails; every decision will impact cost, thus you need to establish a budget early on and make sure you stick to it. This will help you keep on track of everything.

Plan and start early

A superb menu always starts with the caterer, but to get your first pick, you’ll have to book early. Some industry experts suggest booking catering and venues around 12 months before the event. Keep in mind, some venues will require you to use their in-house caterer or they will have a short list of wedding professionals that they work with exclusively.

If you have the opportunity to choose your own caterer, look for a chef that is flexible and excited about trying new dishes and food ideas.

Know your numbers

Know how many guests will be attending and ensure your maximum budget can handle this amount. This will help you determine your menu. If you want to have an impressive spread, consider limiting your guest list. If you want everybody to be there, just cut costs in creative ways that will still provide an enjoyable and delicious spread for everyone.

Understand dietary restrictions

Vegans, people with peanut allergies or guest who prefer a gluten-free diet should be considered. Talk with your chosen caterer about these challenges in advance to prevent any delays when plating entrees and main meals.

Think of a style or theme

The couple’s personality should drive the theme of any wedding. Some weddings will have very traditional of formal themes, while others may be more casual. Your themes can be expressed through the attire of the wedding party, the décor, floral arrangements, the ceremony itself, the venue, the season and the type of food served at the reception.

Go for local and seasonal

Great chefs and cooks plan their menus around whatever is fresh that month or season. Ask your caterer what ingredients will be in season on the day of your wedding and request to have your menu made around those ingredients. Find the freshest options by choosing locally grown produce. Also make sure your caterer is familiar with the foods they are preparing. There is no worse way to make your menu memorable than getting your guests sick from badly prepared food.

Cover all bases with your spread by having beef, poultry, seafood and vegetables. Make sure you have something slightly salty, sweet and something savoury to cater to all types of palettes.

The caterer should also care for good presentation

Choose a caterer who cares as much about presentation as they do about good tasting food. First impressions will help make the day memorable. You can also add small touches of your own like a special signature cocktail, a special dessert or napkins in your wedding theme colours.

Do not skimp on the portions

Make sure that you have enough food for everyone. Even if you’re having a buffet, your caterer will still need an approximate head count.

These are some of the things that you need to remember when choosing your wedding menu.

A Mansion Wedding: Clarissa & Rania

We recently produced an exceptionally ambitious wedding event for a cosmopolitan couple with discerning tastes and levels of service. Laissez-faire was asked to play a key role for the evening to celebrate their union and help their guests enjoy good food.

After six months of in-depth planning we were able to execute an event of dramatic proportions with the style of food having received overwhelming acclaim. To ensure a successful and enjoyable special day, service was discreet yet attentive.

Collaboration and constant communication within the entire team allowed Laissez-faire to shine at this event. From the drinks - Cocktail Club mixologist, AV – Norwest productions, lighting – Love Lights, flowers - The Floral Craftsman, videography - Soda Films, planning - Bree Gomberg, Director of White Rabbit Projects to the fabulous nanny service – Nannies and Helpers. All of these parts came together to make a whole at Clarissa and Rania's wedding day which took place at a private mansion overlooking a romantic bay setting.

Laissez-faire's catering service has resulted in this wonderful endorsement from Bree Gomberg, Director at White Rabbit Projects:

“Food presentation and tastewas high on the list of priorities for this client and event and your team exceeded all our expectations. Food was plentiful, tasty and exceptionally presented. Your staff were also fantastic. This is what made the night especially seamless. Their ability to think quickly and to appease guests on a range of requests throughout the evening was very much appreciated and even guests commented on how many there were of you!!! Every time we turned around your staff were only too happy to assist in any way they could possible.

We would have no hesitation recommending Laissez-faire in future and for anyone wanting to work with a catering company that is both creative as they are professional – Laissez-faire ticked all the boxes!!! It was truly so easy working with you and we look forward to many more to come.”

Laissez-faire at One Fine Day Wedding Fair in Sydney

We are very pleased to announce that Laissez-faire will once again be attending the One Fine Day Wedding Fair on February 6th & 7th.

We participated as a vendor in 2014 and we are very happy to once again be a part of this spectacular event at the Australian Technology Park. One Fine Day is the best wedding fair Sydney has to offer, and they've hand-picked over 90 of the best wedding vendors in and around Sydney for you and your bridal party to be inspired by.

At Laissez we have more than 25 years of catering experience. We offer premium event catering with the best ingredients available to make mouth-watering menus and spectacular venues to match. We're very proud of the weddings we've been involved in so far - check out some of the stunning moments captured in our wedding gallery - and we can't wait to get involved in yours.

We know exactly what it takes to make your day special, so come and see us at Stand 52 from 10am-3pm on the 6th & 7th of February at the Australian Technology Park in Sydney and get your wedding organised.